Barbara Boxer: “It is wonderful to see you sitting there and to tell you, as I know you will be very pleased with this news, that S. 6…”

“It is wonderful to see you sitting there and to tell you, as I know you will be very pleased with this news, that S. 6, which has been introduced by Leader Reid, is called the National Energy and Environmental Security Act of 2007. That means Senator Reid is sending a signal to all of us here, both sides of the aisle, that we are going to put the environmental issue back front and center and we are going to put the energy issue front and center and we are going to do everything we can do to become energy independent and to preserve this planet for future generations. This is a very emotional day for me in a very good way because I am assuming the Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, which is a dream come true for me. Since I started my career, the environment has always been one of my signature issues. In California it is a bipartisan signature issue. We all work together, Republicans and Democrats and Independents, because we understand that the health of our planet and the health of our families is very important. America has always taken the lead. Somehow, recently, we have lost our way.”